Aline Smithson—accomplished photogra- pher, educator, editor, writer and cura- tor—is a well-known champion of other
photographers’ work. Her daily online journal,
Lenscratch ( www.lenscratch.com), which she
began in 2007, features daily posts of fine-art images and interviews with established and emerging
photographers from around the world.

“I think of myself as a chronic emerging pho-tographer—still curious, still open to ideas andchange, and still reaching for the brass ring,whatever that is,” Smithson explains. “Being aphotographer is a lifelong journey with success-es and failures, recognition and rejection. Theonly reason you should become a photographeris because you love taking photographs. Andthe only brass ring you need to grab is the oneyou create for yourself—with the goal of creatingquality work.”Over the years, Smithson has featured the workof more than 2,000 image-makers on Lenscratch.

“Visitors are presented with a portfolio of images togain a deeper understanding of a photographer’sintent and vision,” she says. RF